Car-truck



(No Model.)

G. SOUTHER.

GAR TRUCK. 7 No. 320,011. Patented June 16, 1885.

N. PETERSv PholwLKhogrlphQr. Wnhlpglon. D. Q

llNirrnn STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

GEORGE SOUTHER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,011, dated June 16, 1885.

Application filed February 19, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SoUrHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Oar Trucks; and I do hereby declare that the same are fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in horsecar trucks of the kind having divided axles to permit each wheel to rotate independently, as shown in my patent of August 27, 1878, No. 207,543; and this my present invention consists in improvements on the frame that supports the bearings for the divided axles, and it is carried out with special reference for use in connection with the end bearings at present employed on the ordinary horse-cars, for which purpose the invention is carried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where Figure 1 represents a bottom View of the improved truck. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation, and Fig. 3 represents a cross-section on the line A B shown in Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

a represents the horse-car platform as usual, having secured to its under side the respective box-plates b b, to each of which are attached the guide-rods b b, passing loosely through the flanges c c of the box or bear- I ings c.

On each rod b is arranged, between the under side of plate I) and top of flange c, a coiled spring, (I, in the usual manner of constructing horse-car axle-bearings.

To the under side of each bearing 0 is secured the bent metal bar 6, through perforations in which pass thelower ends of the rods 1) b, as shown in the drawings.

I) b are pins passing transversely through the ends of rods b 1), below the bent bar 6, to prevent the box 0 from getting detached from rods b b.

The forward and rear ends of the bent metal bars 6 c are connected together by means of skeleton trusses composed of bent I or curved upper and lower metal bars, f f,

which are held apart about midway by means of pipes or rods 9 g, and secured together in such position by means of screw-bolts or rivets g g, by which arrangement I produce a very strong and light truss-beam between each of the respective bent metal bars 6 0, one such truss-beam connecting the forward ends of said bars 6 e, and another one of the same construction connecting their rear ends, as shown.

To the upper truss-bars, f f, is bolted the centrallongitudinal bearing-board, h, made of wood or metal, to the under side of which is secured the guide-plated, having curved grooves or ways z" i, in which the inner bearings, 70 k, for the divided independent shafts or axles L L are movablewhen the car is drawn on a curved track, such motion of the said bearings k It being controlled by the right or left side adjustment of the draw-bar I, that is hinged in its rear end to the fulcrum Z, and there provided with lateral cars l l,connected diagonally to the respective bearings k k by means of links m m, as shown and described in my Patent No. 207 ,543.

L L are the flanged wheels, secured, respectively, to the independent axles L L, as usual.

The guide-plate i is provided midway with a downwardly-projecting concave curved rib,

I, projecting more or less between the inner ends of the bearings 70 k, and it serves as a rigid support for the inner ends of the latter and their respective axles L L when the car is drawn on a curved track, and thereby preventing a longitudinal motion of said axles in a direction toward the center of the car, by which such longitudinal thrust on the axles is transferred from the bearings k k to the rigid central projection or rib, I. Such rigid rib I is an important feature of my invention, as in going around curves the flanges on the outer wheels are brought forcibly against the side of the rail, causing a longitudinal pressure on the axle in a direction toward the center of the car, which pressure is retarded on the central rib, I, thus relieving the strain on the bearings.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation of my invention,

ICO

I wish to secure by Letters Patent, and In testimony whereof I have aflixed my e1aimsignature in presence of two witnesses.

In a horse-ear truck, the combination of the yielding boxes 0 c with the bent or curved, GEORGE SOUTHER.

5 bars 6 6, their connecting truss-beams f f g g, and central longitudinal bearing board or Witnesses: plate, h, for the support of the inner bearings, ALBAN ANDREN, k k, as and for the purpose set forth. HENRY CHADBOURN. 

